


Pattern

by PoisonJack



Series: Unthinkable [1]
Category: Borderlands, Tales from the Borderlands - Fandom
Genre: Alpha Jack, Angst, Comfort, Established Relationship, General au, Infertility, Jack is persistent but not quite a total asshole in this one lolol, M/M, Omega Rhys, Omegaverse, a/b/o dynamics, mpreg mentions, rhysie angsts a LOT in this cuz I'm mean hahaha
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-20
Updated: 2016-04-20
Packaged: 2018-06-03 06:04:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,994
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6599701
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PoisonJack/pseuds/PoisonJack
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Jack wants Rhys to do his omega thing and start popping out Jack's kids. Rhys keeps avoiding the matter until the alpha confronts him about it in his Jack-way. Rhys explains why that ain't gonna happen.</p><p>Some indulgent angsty stuff woot.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Pattern

**Author's Note:**

> I got some good news about being able to have kids, SO I'm taking out my four months of depression and surgery-woes on Rhysie now that this is no longer my reality bahahha
> 
> Also posted on tumblr [here](http://purge-that-urge-rhackathon.tumblr.com/post/143063888520/pattern).

Rhys was avoiding Jack, and the alpha thought he knew why. At first he’d thought it was a game, but then he realized it was more concerning when he recognized a pattern.

“Mmm I’d love to see you all big with my kid, kitten,” Jack told him as he wrapped arms around the omega.

“In your dreams,” Rhys had told him with a snort, and gone about his day leaving the older man in his dust.

Jack thought it was cute, that the younger man was playing hard to get. And he amped up his efforts to woo the omega that much more. Fucking was one thing, but actually committing to something more? That both scared and excited the alpha, and he was prepared to give it his all. Once Jack decided he wanted something, he didn’t change his mind. He just needed to bring his younger, pretty omega over to the idea.

Rhys enjoyed the chocolates and flowers, happily met the CEO for executive lunches, and totally melted under the efforts of the older man’s hands and mouth at night. The omega was pleased with Jack; the older man was sure of it. If not with material gifts, then definitely with the pet names and kisses and cuddles the CEO pressed him with. He never failed to make the omega purr. 

But any mention of kids, and the younger man did a complete 180. 

Jack thought he was scared, or maybe intimidated. Anything the alpha said to the matter was brushed off.

“You’d look great with my kid on you.”

“That’s nice, Jack. But I asked what you think of my new jacket.”

-

“You’re so skinny, pumpkin. You know some baby weight would look gorgeous on you.”

“Do you have any idea what it takes to maintain this figure? Now where did you want to go for dinner?”

-

“You know, we’d make some pretty good looking heirs to the Hyperion throne, baby.”

“Jack, go to sleep.”

-

“Wanna come back to mine tonight and let me put a bun in that oven?”

“Dammit Jack would you knock that shit off already?”

The eye roll was unnecessary, the alpha thought. And walking away was just rude. The CEO huffed and shrugged it off as to one of the omega’s moods, and left the younger man to his work as he returned back to his office.

Once there, Jack paced. 

What the hell was the deal? What could it be? It couldn’t be his position. Jack would be able to provide for the younger man for the next thousand years, he was so filthy rich. And as far as alphas went, Jack knew he was strong and smart and objectively handsome. He’d certainly never gotten complaints from Rhys in the bedroom department either. So it couldn’t be any of that. Rhys seemed to like kids, from the way the omega cooed over baby pictures coworkers showed him. So that couldn’t be it.

Did Rhys just think he was messing around? Had he not shown he was serious? That _must_ be it. And the younger man probably wouldn’t appreciate that kind of teasing, being an omega and all. Biological needs aside, Jack knew he talked a lot of shit, so maybe the younger man’s lack of confidence in his statements was to be expected. The CEO hadn’t actually asked him outright to have his children; Rhys probably took it as Jack messing with him.

Okay, well that was something easily remedied. If he knew Jack wasn’t teasing him, then he’d probably be all for it. Hell, if he played his cards right, they could get down to working at it as early as tonight. The idea made the alpha smirk.

–

Jack called Rhys up to his office a few hours later in which he figured the omega had properly calmed down. He asked the younger man to bring him up some bullshit reports he didn’t need, and he set them aside when the omega had handed them to him at his desk.

“So, princess, I’ve been thinking,” he began as he got up to cross over to the omega. Rhys gave him a raise of his brow as if to ask ‘ _You? Thinking?_ ’ Jack ignored the look as he smirked at the younger man. “I’m rich, I’m powerful, I’m good-looking, and baby, you’re _gorgeous_. So we should maybe mix that and see what would happen, don’t you think?”

Rhys gave him a confused look. “Uhhh… Jack, don’t take this the wrong way, but are you asking me to marry you?” Rhys posed with uncertainty at the older man.

The CEO laughed and the omega turned red, and Jack just grinned at him. Yes, his intentions must not be clear. That must be the problem. 

“Babies, sugar. I’m asking you to have kids with me. But if you wanna be married for that shit then I’m game,” Jack told him with a winning smirk. He watched the emotions play over the younger man’s face. Shock, surprise, extreme happiness, and was that…fear? That didn’t make sense. Jack pushed aside the sudden spike of worry he felt, and grinned at the younger man. “Ever wanted to be part of a legacy, kitten?”

Rhys was shaking his head as he spoke. “Jack that’s just… I mean… What you’re asking me–”

“Marriage, babies, the whole nine yards, kiddo. Sounds good right? I can’t think of anyone more perfect for the job, cupcake.”

Jack watched in more confusion as Rhys’ expression turned to one he well-recognized. It was the look someone got on their face right before he threw them out the airlock. And even if Rhys hadn’t been making that face, his scent was starting to make Jack uneasy. The omega was not in normal spirits. Jack wanted to turn that around quickly if he could and assuage any of his worries.

“Look, if you’re scared or anything, that’s normal, pumpkin. But I’ll be there every step of the way with you.”

“That’s not it.”

“You’d make a great mom, babe.” Rhys gave him an incredibly sour look to which Jack smirked. “Or dad. Whatever you wanna be called, kitten.”

“That’s _not_ it.”

“Then what? Tell me whatever it is, pumpkin. I’ll rub your back and feed you ice cream and I’ll change diapers and all that shit. You’ll be the most comfortable omega in the entire galaxy.” 

Rhys looked away from him at that, and Jack ran a hand up and down the younger man’s arm to try to soothe any worries away.

“You know I can afford all the finest doctors and care that money can buy, and we’d make some damn pretty kids, pumpkin. You know that for a fact. It’ll go off without a hitch,” Jack told him with a self-assured grin. “And I’d be with you every single step of the way. Priority number one. I swear that.”

Rhys’ face looked almost sick– not what Jack was expecting- as the omega seemed to digest everything the alpha had just told him. His lips were downturned and brows furrowed in a frown. Jack’s smile bled off his face as the omega slowly shook his head, not meeting the alpha’s eyes.

“I can’t, Jack.”

The older man was frowning, not understanding and getting angry at the rejection. The omega seemed to enjoy their time together, and Rhys himself claimed to enjoy his time with the CEO. He’d never had any complaints, so what the hell was his problem? Jack was offering a pretty damn sweet setup even if they _didn_ ’t like each other; he knew others would jump through hoops just for a sliver of the same chance. So why this rejection? 

“So what, then?! You don’t want kids, or you don’t want kids _with me_?” the older man growled at him.

“ _For fuck’s sake_ , Jack. You think I don’t want to?!” Rhys snapped at the older man, staring him eyes to mismatched eyes.

And Jack would have snapped right back at him that, _yes_ , that’s _exactly_ what he thought what with the way the younger man got increasingly brusque with his brush-offs whenever Jack brought the matter up. It was only the surprising pain in Rhys’ voice that held Jack’s tongue. 

“You think I wouldn’t _love_ to do that? Have your kids and make a family with you??”

“Rhys–”

“I _can’t_. I literally _can’t,_ Jack. I’m… _unable_.” His eyes were swimming as he growled at the alpha, and Jack was standing there dumbfounded, his ire completely gone. Rhys’ voice was softer, full of pain, like he was losing his nerve. “…I can’t have kids.”

“…Rhysie… Sweetheart…” Jack closed the space between them and Rhys hiccoughed as the older man wrapped him up in his arms. 

Rhys held tight to the alpha, pressing his face into the CEO’s chest. He was trembling slightly, breath hitching. He was quickly falling to pieces.

Jack pet the younger man’s hair, and if Rhys was trying not to sob into his shirt, the alpha didn’t bring attention to it. “You…can’t have kids? At all?” That got a hard, shuddered whimper out of the younger man. Jack just pet at him and kissed the side of his head and softly murmured to him to try and soothe him.

Rhys’ muffled voice spoke into his shirt, and Jack barely breathed to make sure he heard his words. “There was…there was a disease, early twenties,” Rhys told him softly with hitched breathing, trying to be clinical and detached from his own history. “Fucked everything up… Docs cleared it but… But it destroyed my…my… My ability to have kids.” He choked on the last two words and sobs wracked his body.

Jack held the omega tightly, trying to process what he was being told, and all sorts of new questions entering his mind. He wanted to know details, what happened, if it wasn’t anything his expensive scientists and doctors couldn’t fix. But he didn’t ask any of that. Not with Rhys speaking mournfully into his chest.

“I’m sorry, Jack. I-I’m so sorry.”

“No no no. Sugar, Rhysie no. Don’t apologize to me, sweetheart.” He kissed the younger man’s head as Rhys’ hands clenched into the back of his shirt. “It’s okay, babe. It’s alright. I promise it’s alright. Why didn’t you just tell me?”

Rhys turned his face up to the older man but found he had a hard time keeping eye contact. “I… I didn’t want to risk losing you,” the younger man admitted, and even as he said it he realized how selfish that was. 

“Sweetheart…”

“You kept bringing it up,” Rhys sobbed, and Jack just kept petting at him, keeping him close. “I’m useless as an omega…I just… _Please,_ Jack.”

“Shhh….Baby, you’ve got nothing to worry about.”

“I’m sorry… If I could, I would… In a heartbeat I would–”

“Shh sweetheart, don’t dwell on it. You’re more than enough just your perfect pretty self, okay kiddo? You’re more than enough for me already, I promise.” He pet the younger man until Rhys calmed down, and he told him he didn’t have to talk about it anymore unless he wanted to, and that this didn’t change anything between them.

As he held Rhys close all night in his big bed at his penthouse, Jack considered that the omega himself was indeed more than enough all by himself, and that was just fine by him. He was content to keep the omega near and kiss and hold him and just have the younger man at his side. They’d think of something. Or they wouldn’t, and Jack could be content. He knew he could.

And if the day ever came that Rhys wanted to try, to visit his expensive doctors and scientists and healers and anyone else Jack could get his hands on, then he would _still_ be more than enough for the CEO, but Jack would be there every step of the way while they figured things out together.

**Author's Note:**

> and then Jack and Rhys see all the scientists and shit and Rhys is fixed and its happily ever after babies THE END Dammit xD 
> 
> Come say hi. <http://purge-that-urge-rhackathon.tumblr.com>


End file.
